top of page

Signs of fear in dogs

The dog's “guilty” look is nothing but fear

In addition to this, you need to know more about it.

Whether he's devoured the couch cushion, urinated on the duvet cover, or even ate the last slice of your favorite cake, all dog owners have already met their guilty gaze when they've done something they don't have to. not to do. However, if we thought they felt guilt, the emotion felt is quite different: fear.

Where does this theory come from?

This claim is based on a 2009 study by scientist Alexandra Horowitz, author of "Inside of a Dog: What Dogs See, Smell and Know" and "Being A Dog: Following A Dog Into A World Of Smell". She focuses on how humans interpret the emotions of dog breeds through the scope of human emotion. More simply, we tend to interpret the emotions of animals according to the emotion they would have felt in the same situation.

In addition to this, you need to know more about it.

In addition to this, you need to know more about it.

In addition to this, you need to know more about it.

peur.jpg

What are the signs of fear in dogs?

When your dog curls up, shows you the whites of his eyes while looking askance or looking away, pins his ears back, yawns, or licks his lips, he doesn't feel certainly not guilt contrary to what one might think. These are all the characteristic signs of fear in a dog, which makes us think that he is feeling guilty. Proof that humans tend to anthropomorphize their dogs.

coupable.jpg

What is the progress of this study?

Watching the dogs savor a delicacy while their owner was away, Alexandra Horowitz realized that what was thought to be guilt turned out to be fear, in response to their owner's behavior. Indeed, the results showed no difference in so-called “guilty” behaviors, and were even observed when owners scolded their dogs. In reality, this "guilty" air is a response to the owner's negative behavior and not a response to the assessment of a fault.

In addition to this, you need to know more about it.

Can Dogs Really Feel Guilt?

Maybe we will find out one day. Indeed, while studies have shown that "some animals are able to plan for the future by remembering specific episodes from the past", we do not know if they can really realize that they have done something wrong by. compared to their memories.

“With dogs, we don't have concrete evidence yet, which doesn't mean they don't. Dogs have memories of course, but thinking about these memories to anticipate a human reaction is a very complex cognitive process, ”explains Alexandra Horowitz.

bottom of page